Intestinal metaplasia in human stomach was classified macroscopically into areas with both sucrase and trehalase activities on the mucosal surface (complete type) and areas with sucrase but no trehalase activities on the mucosal surface (incomplete type) by the TES-TAPE method. Five serial frozen sections were taken from tissues of these two types located with TES-TAPE. The sections were examined histochemically for intestinal marker enzymes and mucin, and the metaplastic tubules were also examined histologically. In mucosa from areas of the complete type, the striated border of almost all the metaplastic tubules gave positive reactions for leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and contained Paneth's cells. No high-iron diamine (HID) positive mucin was detected by staining with high-iron diamine-Alcian blue (HID-AB). In mucosa from areas of the incomplete type, metaplastic tubules giving a positive reaction for LAP, a HID-positive reaction and a negative reaction for ALP were frequently observed. However, other patterns, such as negative reactions for LAP, ALP and HID, and positive reactions for LAP and ALP, but a HID-negative reaction were also observed. Goblet cells were present but no Paneth's cells were found. Thus a variety of phenotypical expressions of intestinal marker enzymes and mucin were observed in metaplastic tubules, especially in areas of the incomplete type of intestinal metaplasia.